Lubricating rings and travelers in doubling and like frames



W. WHITELEY Nov. 18, 1930. 1,781,828

LUBRICATING RIRGS AND TRAVELERS IN DOUBLING AND LIKE FRAIES I 2 sheets-Skeet" 1 Filed July 8, 1929 GHT.

Ndv; 18, 1930. w. WHITELEY 1,

wtmcgrme RINGS mm rmvnpzns IN DOUBLING AND LIKE muss Filed July 8, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FlQ. 15.

Patented Novas, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFIcE 'WIIZFRED WHITELEY, OF ELLANI), ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO EADIE BROTHERS AND COMPANY LIMITED, 01 IPAISLEY, SCOTLAND, A COMPANY OF GREAT BRITAIN IJUIBRIOATING RINGS AND TRAVELERS IN DOUBLING- AND LIKE FRAMES Application filed July 8, 1929, Serial No. 376,733, and in Great Britain August 10, 1928.

This invention relates to lubricating devices for rings and travelers or twisting or spinning frames, wherein are used the normal type of ring and the ear shaped traveler,

5 and has for its object an improved method of lubricating said rings and travels with oil, and has particular reference to the known types where one'end of a wick dips into a reservoir of oil, the other end being in communication with the inner bearing surface of the ring.

The almost universal and. only hitherto successful system in use today with this type of ring and traveler, is to lubricate the rings by grease individually applied by hand at certain periods, and it is well known that two cardinal drawbacks are inherent with the system (1) The frame must be stopped when greasing the rings.

(2) Upon the breakage of a thread, the loose end flies outward from the revolving bobbin, comes into contact with whatever lubricant is on the inside of the ring (which in this case is chiefly the reservoir of grease around the top of the ring) and a greasy dirty mark is made around the bobbin of yarn, which has to be run offaswaste.

The main object of the present invention is to obviate this greasy yarn and the combination of mechanism employed is for the express purpose of supplying such a necessary fine film of oil (it may be called a trace) to the rings and travelers, that upon the breakage of a thread as before-described, no discolouration of the bobbin of yarn takes place by oil stains. In order that this fine film of oil shall function it is essential that the wick (hereafter fully described) shall encircle the inner part of the ring contained in an oblique or cam groove cut in the inner bearing surface thereof, in a manner adapted to make contact with the traveler across practically its whole vertical bearing surface, during each revolution. Owing to this formation of the wick and to the fact that both ends are in contact with a supply of lubricant from pad, a circulation of oil continuously takes place in the direction of rotation of the traveler which is important for the lubrication and also for the continued cleanliness of the wick.

It is also generally known that the capil lary action of wicks. of this description becomes increasingly less efficient as the interstices of same become progressively fouled with foreign matter,.and in the case of a oneended wick merely protecting through a hole in the side of the ring, this is very rapid.

Any kind of wick when new, and whose ends dip into a reservoir of oil, will pass many times the amount of oil necessary to lubricate the ring and in this manner would defeat the object of the system.

In order to overcome this defect, the ends of the wicks in the present invention are connected to a supply of'oil contained in an absorbent pad. This pad is mostly oiled once per day and thereby the wicks in engagement therewith can draw upon the amount so placed, and in very minute but regular quantities. 1

An'essential feature of this pad is that as the plurality of wicks gradually-become less efiicient in the course of time thiscauses thepad to become increasingly saturated by the daily application of oil and this in turn causes a greater volume of oil to be presented to the wicks, which has the effect of bal ancing the flow to the rings.

Another feature of the pad, being placed in the position as described is that the lubrication is evenly distributed to every wick, no individual application to each ring is neces sary, the lubrication is applied with the frame running, and none is wasted.

In a modification, an oblique or a plain groove is cut inside the ring and communicating therewith is a tangential slotof a suitable length adapted to register with a longitudinal groove cut or formed in the ring plate. A band or wick of fibrous or other absorbent material traverses the groove in the ring plate and in engagement with the slots in the row of rings projecting, through each ring'until it is approximately flush with the inner surface thereof and adapted to engage with the rotating traveler. The band or wick is secured at one end of the ring plate to a drum or the like and at the opposite end I similarly unwinds or moves the wick in an opposing direction during the reverse traverse of the said plate. The longitudinal groove aforesaid may be somewhat greater in width than the oscillating band or wick and a pin secured therein on the front side between each pair of rings, whereby the said band is held in engagement with the tangential slots throughout the whole length thereof; also, a suitable cover-plate ma be fitted over the said groove to prevent 'ouling of the lubricant or wick, and oil wells may be formed therein suitable distances apart for facilitating the supply of lubricant to the oscillating band.

I attain these objects by the means illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figs. 1 and 2 are sectional elevation and a plan respectively of the ring showing an annular groove therein forming a helix, whereby the traveler distributes the lubricant supplied thereto, over an area above and below the groove.

Figs. 3 and 4 are similar views to Figs. 1 and 2, showing an annular groove formed at an angle to the top and bottom of the ring, whereby the traveler may distribute the lubricant over an area above and below the same.

Figs. 5 and 6 are similar views to Figs. 3 and 4, showing the annular or oblique groove in the ring containing an absorbent band or wick. 1

Figs. 7 and 8 are sectional elevation and a plan respectively showing the ring and traveler positioned on the ring plate and the wick in engagement with an absorbent pad in a lubricant trough formed in the ring plate.

Figs. 9 and 10 are sectional elevation and a plan respectively of the ring and traveler positioned on the ring plate showing a modification of the means adapted to supply lubricating oil to the wick in the ring.

Figs. 11 and 12 are sectional elevation and a plan respectively of a ring and traveler positioned on the ring plate, showing a modification of means supplying lubricating oil to the wick in the ring adapted to a narrow form of ring plate.

. Fig. 13 is a sectional end elevation through the line 1313 of Fig. 14, of a modification of the means for lubricating the rings and travelers aforesaid.

Fig. 14 is a plan view of an arrangement of rings and travelers shown at Fig. 13, and means for lubricating same.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

- Referring to Figs. 1 to 6 of the drawings: A is a ring upon which revolves the traveler B adapted to fit into a recess in the ring plate in the well known manner. The annular groove D in the inner surface of the ring may be either helical or oblique in formation whereby the traveler durin its revolutions picks up the lubricant theref iom and distributes it over a surface relatively much greater in width than the normal lubricant groove usually formed therein; the aforesaid annular groove D is provided with a corresponding absorbent band or wick E preferably containing a wire strand or core for the purposes aforesaid. Lubricant is supplied to said wicks from the top in the well known manner. v

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings, A is a ring upon which rotates the normal traveler 13, adapted to fit into a corresponding recess in the ring place C in the well known manner. -An annular oblique or cam groove D is formed in the inner bearing surface of the ring in communication with a hole G bored in the side of the ring, adapted to receive an absorbent wick provided with a wire-like strand or core the loose ends of which are carried or pass through the hole G. The wire-like core facilitates the insertion of said wick in the ring and is adapted to hold it in the groove therein during the constant I engagement therewith of the traveler.

An absorbent pad of fibrous material H is placed on the ring plate C or in a corresponding recess F therein. The pad H is adapted to receive a supply of lubricating oil daily in sufficient quantities to partly saturate the same. Both ends of each wick are connected to or pass into engagement with the pad H. J is acover-plate adapted to cover up the recess F and pad H.

Ina modification (see Figs. 9 and 10) the absorbent pad H is dispensed with and a separate recess F is formed in the plate 0 immediately opposite and communicating with the hole G leading to the wick E in each ring A. Regarding Figs. 11 and 12, the modification shown here is particularly adapted to ring plates which are too narrow in width to allow of the groove or recess F shown at Figs. 7 and 8 being formed therein. The recess F in this case is formed by cutting away the upper surface of the plate C to a depth equalling that of the pad H and attaching thereto a corresponding angle iron C the end or ends of the corresponding wick being adapted to pass through the hole G into the recess F and into engagement with the absorbent pad H therein.

In the modification shown at Figs. 13 and 14 of the drawings, each ring A is provided with a tangential slot L cut to such a depth that the reciprocating absorbent band or wick E has a free passage therein but only a slight contact with the traveler B. M is a longitudinal groove formed in the plate C inwhich the wick E is adapted to reciprocate longitudinally therein. N is a drum and P a pulley mounted upon a cross shaft R journalled at one end of said plate C, one end of the wick is secured at X to the drum N the opposite end thereof being carried over a pulley S mounted upon a cross shaft T journalled at the opposite end of the plate C and-is there secured to a counterpoise weight U. A band V is passed over and secured to the pulley P and to a fixed point immediately below. W are pins adapted to maintain the wick in the desired engagement with the tangential slots L in the rings A.

Where the wick is adapted to lubricate a series of rings and travelers, the lifter or ring plate as it rises puts tension on the band V which begins to turn the shaft R causing the wick E to be correspondingly moved longitudinallyin the groove M in one direction and to be correspondingly wound on the drum N. On the reverse movement of the plate C the weight U operates to move the wick in an opposite direction by unwinding the same from off the drum N and simultaneously rewinding the band V on to the pulley P. In this manner the wick on being reciprocated in the slots L during the riseand fall of the plate C, provides the necessary lubricant to the travelers whFch distribute the same as before-described.

lVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by LettersPatent, is

1. In a device of the class described, the combination of a ring plate having an annular opening, a ring in said opening and having an annular disposed groove formed in its inner wall, a lubricant saturated pad carried by said plate and extending substantially tangential to said opening, said ring having a passage extending outwardly from said groove, anabsorbent' wick within said groove and extending through said passage into engagement with said pad, and a traveler mounted on said ring and extending across said groove so as to contact with said absorbent wick.

2. In a device of the class described, the combination of a ring plate having an opening and a recess extending substantially tangential to the periphery of said opening, a ring in said opening and having an obliquely disposed annular groove formed in its inner face, said ring having a passage therein for communicating said recess with said annular groove, a lubricant saturated pad in said recess, an absorbent wick arranged within said groove and extending through said passages into engagement with said pad, and a traveler engaging the ring and ex tending across said groove in contact with said absorbent wick.

3. In a device of the class described, thecombination of a ring plate having an opening and a recess adjacent to the periphery of said opening, a ring in said opening and having an obliquely disposed annular groove formed in its inner face, said ring having a passage therein for communicating said recess with said annular groove, a lubricant saturated pad in said recess, an absorbent wick arranged within said groove and extending through said passages into engagement withsaid pad, and a traveler engaging the ring and extending across said groove in contact with said absorbent wick.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a ring plate having an opening and a recess adjacent to the periphery of said opening, a ring in said opening and having an obliquely disposed annular groove formed in its inner face, said ring having a passage therein for communicating said recess with said annular groove, a lubricant saturated pad in said recess, an absorbent wick having a Wire-like core arranged within said groove and extending through said passages into engagement with said pad, and a traveler engaging the ring and extending across said groovein contactwith said absorbent wick; J

5. In a device of the classdescribed, the combination of a ring plate having an opening and a recess in the upper surface thereof extending substantially tangential to the periphery of said opening, a ring in said opening and having an obliquely disposed annular groove formed in its inner face, said a ring having a passage therein for communicating said recess with said annular groove, a closure member for said recess, a lubricant saturated pad in saidrecess, an absorbent wick arranged within said groove and extending through said passages'into engagement with said pad, and a traveler engaging the ring-and extending across said groove in contact with said absorbent wick.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination of a ring plate having aligned annular spaced openings and a recess extending substantially tangentialrelative to the periphery of said openings, a ring in each of said openings having an annular groove in its inner face and a radial passage communicating the groove with said recess, a lubricant saturated pad in said recess, an absorbent wick in each of said grooves and extending through said radial passage into engagement with said pad whereby a multiplicity'of wicks may be lubricated simultaneously, and travelers engaging the rings and in contact with the absorbent wicks.

7. In a device of the class described, the

combination of a ring plate having aligned annular spaced openings and a recess extending substantially tangential relative to the periphery of said openings, a ring in each of 5 said openings having an annular groove in its inner face and a radial passage communicating the groove with said recess, a lubricant saturated pad in said recess, an absorbent wick in each of said grooves and extending through said radial passage into engagement with said pad whereby a multiplicity of wicks may be lubricated simultanenously, means associated with said plate for enclosing the pad in said recess, and travelers enga ing the rings'and in contact with the absorbent wicks.

8. A spinning ring having an annular groove formed in the inner wall thereof and a radial opening extending outwardly from said groove, and an absorbent wick having a wire-like core arranged within said groove and extending through said opening. 7

9. A spinning ring having an obliquely disposed annular groove formed in the in- 5 ner wall thereof and a radial opening extend- 1 ing outwardly from said groove, and an absorbent wick having a wire-like core arranged within said groove and extending through said opening. 10. A spinning ring having an annular groove formed in the inner wall thereof and a radial opening extending outwardly from said groove, and an absorbent wick arranged within said groove and extending through said opening.

11. In combination, a spinning ring having an obliquely disposed annular groove formed in the inner wall thereof and an opening extending outwardly from said groove, an absorbent wick having a wire-like core arranged within said groove and extending through said opening, and a traveler engag-' ing the ring and extending across said groove so as to contact with the absorbent wick. 12. In combination, a spinning ring having an annular groove formed in the inner wall thereof and an opening extending outwardly from said groove, an absorbent wick arranged within said groove and extending 10 through said opening, and a traveler engaging the ring and extending across said roove so as to contact with the absorbent wic k. In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILFRED VVHITELEY. 

